Sunday, July 31, 2011

Joe Docekal put on a clinic in the IMCA Modifieds at Benton County Speedway on Sunday night. After the field was bottle-necked in turns one and two on the first lap, Docekal emerged in second place after starting in the fourth row. He chased down Patrick Flannagan one lap later, then swept past the race leader to assume command. Docekal started to pull away from the field until the race's only caution on lap six.

On the restart, Docekal picked up where he left off and ran away from the pack. As Docekal approached lapped traffic around the midway point of the 20-lapper, Shawn Ryan worked through the field and challenged Flannagan for second. Ryan, who started in the fifth row, slipped beneath Flannagan on the 10th circuit, but remained a straightaway behind Docekal.

Docekal pulled away from the field to score the win by nearly half of a track ahead of Ryan and Flannagan on the ultra-fast, smooth quarter-mile. In the tech area, Joe asked how the race looked. When I joked to him it was "boring" from an excitement standpoint, he laughed. Docekal said it "felt good" and then I informed him he was nearly half a track ahead of the second place car. His response was simply, "Really?" Docekal was truly the class of the field tonight.

Curt Hilmer set the early pace in the 15-lap IMCA SportMod feature. Hilmer distanced himself from second-running Dave Schulze while Kyle Olson marched through the field from a fourth row starting spot. By the time the first caution waved on lap five, Olson was running fourth and quickly disposed of Brennen Chipp when racing resumed.

As Olson worked toward the front, Schulze made his to the inside of Hilmer for the lead just prior to the midway point. Two laps later, Olson snuck below Hilmer to take second and then set his sights on the leader. Olson inched ahead just before the caution flag waved again on lap nine. The caution flag waved again on lap 11 for debris on the speedway, which turned out to be Olson's left rear spring. Despite his newly altered low-rider, Olson held on to score the win ahead of Schulze. Danny Dvorak made a strong run through the field to come home third after starting 11th.

Three features ran without a single stoppage tonight as the IMCA Hobby Stocks, IMCA Stock Cars and IMCA Sport Compacts ran flag-to-flag.

In the Hobby Stock 15-lapper, outside front row starter Justin Wacha took command at the drop of the green. He paced the field while Justin Stander and Matt Brown gave chase. As the leaders battled, Scott Pippert worked into the mix from a fifth row start as the foursome ran side-by-side, two rows deep at the front of the pack.

Stander made his way around the outside of Wacha on lap five while Pippert worked the low groove. Pippert quickly pulled even with Stander and took over on the following lap. He led the remainder of the event to score the win and extend his points lead. Brown worked past Stander midway through the event to drive to a second place finish.

In the Stock Car division, pole-sitter Andrew Burk took the lead at the start of that 15-lapper. Burk paced the field as Austin Evens pursued. Evens snuck beneath Burk to take charge for a couple of laps before Burk fought back to assume the top spot once more on the fourth circuit.

As Burk led, Curtis Roster made some noise as he slipped past Evens at the midway point of the event, then went to work on chasing down Burk. Although Roster closed the gap, Burk was too strong as he powered to his first win on the Vinton oval. In victory lane, track announcer Bucky Doren asked Burk why he started pulling from the Quad Cities to run on Sundays at Vinton. Without hesitation, Burk explained that he used to race at Quad City Speedway in East Moline, Ill., but was recently kicked out. Ahhh, gotta love victory lane interviews.

Although he was one of the last cars at the track Sunday, Nathan Chandler proved to be the fastest Sport Compact in attendance. From his third row starting spot, Chandler ran the low groove past leader Tyler Whalen on just the second circuit to take command of the 12-lap feature. Chandler pulled away from the pack to continue his hot streak at the speedway by taking a convincing win ahead of Bill Whalen Jr.

After a whirlwind tour of six different tracks in the last eight days, my schedule will take a breather for the first half of the week. My next trip will be to Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis., on Thursday night for the Corn Belt Clash Late Model Series.

Prior to the next CBC stop, I plan to post this month's installment of the Stats Blitz for Independence Motor Speedway. A lot of the numbers have already been crunched so I hope to have that online sometime tomorrow night or Tuesday night, depending how my return to my "real job" goes tomorrow after a week of vacation. Have a great week!

Although Adam and Sean Johnson had each spent a fair amount of time in victory lane, the brothers had never won features on the same night in front of their hometown fans at Independence Motor Speedway - until Saturday night. After Sean dominated the IMCA Stock Car feature, Adam made an impressive run through the field to survive the time-shortened IMCA Modified main.

A nice field of 109 race teams signed in to the pit area, matching season highs in the Modified and Hobby Stock divisions for McDonald's Night at the Races.

Pole sitter Tim Helle held the early lead in the 15-lap Stock Car feature as Sean Johnson worked the low groove into contention from a fourth row start. Mike Padden made his way around Helle for the lead on lap two as Johnson continued his charge toward the front. Johnson slipped beneath Helle and Roger Ciesielski for second after just three laps and then made his way past Padden for the lead one lap later.

As Johnson led, Justin Temeyer was making his way through the field after starting in the fifth row. Temeyer worked into second just shy of the midway point. Temeyer uncharacteristically spun out on the low side of turn two one lap later, ending his bid for the win. Johnson skated away to score his division-leading fifth win of the season. Ciesielski ran second ahead of Kirk Fauser and Dave Stricker. Points leader Jarod Weepie completed the top five. It was Johnson's 13th win in his Stock Car career at Independence. The victory pulled him to within a single victory of Norman Chesmore for seventh on the all-time wins list.

Ed Thomas and Keith Pittman provided an entertaining battle at the front of the IMCA Modified feature while three and four-wide racing was common throughout the front half of the 23-car field. The pair swapped the lead over a trio of cautions that plagued the first five laps. As they battled, Adam Johnson worked through the field from a sixth row start, settling into second just prior to the lap five stoppage.

Johnson shot to the low side of Thomas when racing resumed to take command. He then held off the persistent challenges of Mike Burbridge to score his second win of the season in an event that timed out after 13 laps. Burbridge ran second ahead of Jerry King and Shawn Ryan. Points leader Jerry Luloff, who was forced to qualify through the B feature, made a nice run through traffic to come home fifth after starting 18th. It was Johnson's sixth trip to the winner's circle in the Modifieds at Independence, tying him for 22nd on the all-time list with Corey Dripps, Craig Haupt, Garry Stuber, J.D. Auringer and Todd Jensen.

Quinton Miller added another hometown name to the list of winners as the Independence driver topped the IMCA Hobby Stock division. It was outside front row starter Shawn Kuennen who led the field to green in the 15-lapper. Kuennen paced the field as Miller quickly challenged from his second row start.

Miller dropped to the low side of Kuennen exiting turn two on the fifth lap to snare the lead. He survived a pair of late cautions to score the victory, his first of the season. Jamie Whitaker ran second ahead of Chris Wiltse, who edged Rod Grother by a bumper at the line for third. August Bach came home fifth. Points leader Vince Buchholz was black-flagged midway through the event after his #55 was displaying substantial amounts of smoke. His DNF allowed Wiltse to close to within two points of the division lead.

For Miller, it was the sixth win of his career at Independence, moving him into a tie for 13th on the all-time list with Chris Schares, Rod Grother, Tim Bartholomew and Todd Temeyer. It also marked the fifth consecutive season with a feature win for Miller. He joins Justin Lichty as the only drivers with the longest such current streak in the division.

A 12-car pile-up in the IMCA Late Model feature turned the line-up upside down after the lap five stoppage. Entering turn three on that circuit, a couple of the front-runners got together, which created a chain reaction throughout the field, forcing red flag conditions. When the dust settled, all drivers were okay, and only two were unable to continue - Dean Wagner and Joel Brasch.

To show how the pile-up affected the running order, Darren Ackerman brought out the caution on the previous lap for a solo spin. He restarted at the tail of the 25-car field for that restart. For the restart on the following lap, however, he realigned tenth.

Luke Pestka, who started outside of row two, quickly made his way to the front and out of harm's way. He took charge on the first lap and never looked back to take his second career win at Independence, his first since August 9, 2008. Tyler Bruening and Travis Smock, who were involved in the lap five melee, worked their way back through the pack for respective second and third place finishes. Luke Merfeld ran fourth ahead of division rookie Rory Metcalf.

Ray Lundry ran the high side around leader Danny Dvorak to drive to his first IMCA SportMod win of the season. From his fourth row start, Lundry ran the top groove to perfection as he challenged for the lead a handful of laps into the 15-lapper. He swept past Dvorak just past the midway point to drive to the victory. Tyler Droste, who was penalized four spots for jumping a restart midway through the event, made a nice run through the field to come home second ahead of Dvorak. Josh Sherbon and Lucas Lundry completed the top five.

The third SportMod win of Lundry's career, he is now tied with Chris Luloff and Lucas Lundry for fifth on the all-time list at Indee.

Last night's show completed the July schedule for this season at Independence. As time allows this week, I'll try to get the latest Stats Blitz compiled and posted. Tonight, it's back to Benton County Speedway in Vinton for its weekly show. Then, on Thursday night, I'm scheduled to head to Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis., for the next installment of the Corn Belt Clash Late Model Series.

Friday, July 29, 2011

Chad Simpson completed the sweep of three straight days of Corn Belt Clash Late Model Series racing with a triumph at CJ Speedway in Columbus Junction on Thursday night during the Louisa County Fair. Simpson, who started the 30-lapper from the fifth row, made his way to the front 10 laps into the event to take home the $3,000 winner's share.

Pole-sitter Kurt Kile held the early lead and paced the field until he slipped off the high side in turns one and two following the completion of the ninth lap. By that time, Simpson was in the cat bird's seat and slid past for the lead. He ran uncontested over the final 20 circuits to earn his third series wins in as many days.

Chris Simpson, who started alongside his brother in the fifth row, had a nice run of his own as he finished second ahead of Kevin Kile. Tim Isebnerg ran fourth for the second consecutive night ahead of Jeremiah Hurst, who earned his first top-five finish of the season. Justin Mitchell was the hard-charger on the night, advancing seven positions from a 13th starting spot to finish sixth.

In other action, Steve Stewart continued his dominance on the CJ oval as he drove to the win in the Modifieds. Stewart made his way to the front just shy of the midway point to drive to the win. Justin Buchholz finished the Mod Lite feature right where he started it. From the drop of the green, Buchholz dominated the 12-lapper to take the win. In the IMCA Sport Compacts, Tyler Whalen was also a green-to-checkers winner as he led the 10-lap feature in its entirety to score the victory.

Thanks to the entire crew at CJ for their hospitality and a fun night at the track. Despite a rain delay just after the start of the heat races, the final checkers waved at 10:20.

Up next for the Corn Belt Clash is a trip to Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis., next Thursday, August 4, before a two-day Minnesota swing August 11 and 12 at Redwood Speedway and Chateau Raceway.

Following a night away from the track tomorrow, it's back to weekly racing for me at Independence Motor Speedway on Saturday. This weekend it's McDonald's Night and Ronald himself is scheduled to make an appearance. Bring the entire family for another night of Fast Family Fun!

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Chad Simpson scored his second win in as many days during the Corn Belt Clash stop at Highway 3 Raceway on Wednesday night. Simpson, who started outside the third row, engaged in a great battle with pole-sitter Dave Eckrich for much of the 25-lapper before finally taking charge with seven laps to go.

Eckrich set the pace at the drop of the green while Simpson made his way through traffic and into second place just three laps into the event. Simpson quickly chased down Eckrich and the leaders provided a great battle for the top spot for a dozen laps.

Simpson ran the low side with Eckrich a groove above him as the two swapped the lead throughout most of the event. Simpson finally broke free with seven laps to go to drive to the win, his fifth on the tour this season. Chris Simpson made his way around Eckrich late to take second.

For Chad, it was his 15th career series win as he extended his points lead to 18 markers over Chris.

In other action, Jimmy Broszeit ran the high groove to victory in the B Mod main. Broszeit, Brandon Hare and Jake Timm entertained the crowd with a terrific three-car battle for the lead throughout the latter stages of the event. Hare held on for second at the line.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Despite pulling the #6 from the hat after winning the Fast Dash, Chad Simpson didn't let a third row start deter him as he powered to the win in the Dart Corn Belt Clash Late Model Series at Fayette County Speedway.

Twenty-two Late Models signed in to compete on the opening night of the 2011 Fayette County Fair and a few of those entries played a role in the outcome of the 35-lapper when they became lapped traffic to the leaders.

At the start of the feature, Chris Simpson took the lead from his pole position starting spot. He paced the field for two laps until the caution flag waved. While under caution, the leader exited to the pits with a flat tire, leaving Jason Utter and Justin Mitchell on the front row for the restart.

Utter took command when racing resumed as Chad Simpson made his way to the front after restarting fourth. Running the low groove, Simpson squeezed beneath Utter to take the lead a couple laps later while Jason Rauen worked into the top five running the high groove.

Midway through the race, Rauen made his way into second and attempted to cut into Simpson's straightaway lead. With the assistance of lapped traffic blocking Simpson's progress on the low side of the smooth, fast oval, Rauen was able to close the gap in quick fashion.

With five laps to go, Rauen pulled even with Simpson, then shot passed him for the lead as Simpson struggled with the lapped cars. Simpson made his way below the backmarkers and was able to stay close to Rauen when the new leader encountered lapped traffic of his own a short time later. This allowed Simpson to sneak beneath Rauen when the flying green waved as Simpson drove to the exciting win.

For Simpson, it was his fourth series win this season and the 14th of his career. The current points leader's 14 career wins have come at 11 different tracks. It was Simpson's second win this season at West Union.

In other action, Jimmy Broszeit ran the high side to the big early lead in the 15-lap B Mod main event. As Broszeit distanced himself from the field, Jake Timm made an impressive run on the low side. Assisted by a few cautions, Timm stayed close with the leaders and made his bid for the lead following a lap 11 restart. He pulled away from the field to score the victory ahead of Broszeit and Troy Hovey.

Tuesday was the first of three straight nights of Corn Belt Clash action. On Wednesday, I'll be behind the mic at Highway 3 Raceway in Allison for night number two before the final night of the three day stretch on Thursday at CJ Speedway in Columbus Junction. I hope to see you there!

Thursday, July 21, 2011

While this may be a blog about circle track racing and Demolition Derby participants don't race their cars, those individuals put as much time and dedication into their programs to make them worthy of an "In Staging" mention. Afterall, it took place on the race track! Tonight's event in Independence kicked off three nights of grandstand action at the 2011 Buchanan County Fair.

While the annual Demo was traditionally held on Friday nights, this year's edition was bumped ahead one night to make room for a new attraction, the NTPA Truck and Tractor Pull tomorrow night at the fairgrounds. Car counts seem to be shrinking at many Demos throughout the area, so it was nice to see a field of 40 cars sign into the three divisions tonight, as well as a healthy crowd in the grandstands. In addition to the 40 entries, three cars were offered for auction to those in the grandstands.

In the 4-Cylinder division, Glenn Luloff earned his second win in as many years during the fair special. Having won twice before in the 6-Cylinder division, including last year, Luloff put together a 4-Cylinder to test his luck. He out-lasted Shawn "Chevy" Tevis to take home the trophy.

In the 6-Cylinders, former Buchanan County resident Gary Lynn, who now calls Liberty, Mo., home, proved one final hit to be the difference in that event. Unfortunately, a nose-to-nose hit he placed on Austin Holt ended his own night, leaving Holt with the winner's trophy.

During the race, those in attendance witnessed a rarity when the red flag came out for P.J. Flaucher's #32F. From my view in the tower, it appeared as though Flaucher may have been having a seizure, however his steering wheel caught on fire. He was head-butting the steering wheel to put out the flames. Flaucher was uninjured and provided some extra entertainment for the fans.

Following tomorrow night's tractor pull, the showcase event of the weekend will hit Independence Motor Speedway on Saturday night for the fifth annual Dick Frye Memorial, a weekly points race for the IMCA Late Models, Modifieds, Stock Cars, SportMods and Hobby Stocks. See you there!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

After last month's Butler County Fair races were rained out, fair officials rescheduled the event for Tuesday night and added IMCA Late Models to the program. Despite the hot and humid temperatures, a decent crowd made its way to Highway 3 Raceway for the make-up event.

In the Late Model division, pole-sitter Todd Cooney took the early lead as fellow front row starter Ryan Griffith settled into second. The lead pair pulled away from the field leaving Darrel DeFrance in third. Griffith stayed close with Cooney throughout the first half of the event as he ran the low groove while Cooney ran the middle-to-high line.

Griffth pulled to the inside of Cooney numerous times before Cooney dropped to a groove lower to fend off Griffith's challenges. The leaders approached lapped traffic in the waning laps of the 15-lapper, which allowed Cooney to drive away to the victory. Griffith followed in second a few car-lengths back.

Brian Irvine topped an entertaining Stock Car feature after a late battle with Mike Van Genderen and Tory Reicks. It was outside front row starter Van Genderen setting the early pace in the 15-lapper. As Van Genderen led, John Emerson ran second with Irvine running the high side and Reicks down low.

Irvine and Reicks ran wheel-to-wheel in the waning laps as they closed in on Ven Genderen. Irvine swept to the outside of the leader to nab the top spot as he drove to the win. Van Genderen held off Reicks for second.

Outside front row starter Brian Mahlstedt held the early lead in the 15-lap B Mod main event. While Mahlstedt paced the field, Cayden Carter chased the leader to the front from his second row start. The leaders engaged in a side-by-side battle for the top spot before Carter edged ahead a handful of laps into the event.

Last place starter Brandon Hare, who left his heat early with mechanical problems, surged through the field and kept pace with the leaders during a trio of caution periods. He worked his way into the top three just after a mid-race caution. He then slipped past Mahlstedt following a late restart.

Carter, however, proved to be too strong out front as he sailed to the victory. Jake Timm, who also started deep in the field, made a nice run through traffic to beat Hare to the line for second.

Despite a low turnout in the Hobby Stock division, Dan Hovden and Danny Sacquitne provided an entertaining race for the fans. Hovden held the early advantage at the drop of the green, but Sacquitne made a quick move to the front a short time later. The leaders pulled away, but never more than a car-length or two from each other throughout the event.

Hovden used both the high and low lines to try to make the pass on Sacquitne, however Sacquitne withstood those challenges to score the win. Alex George had a vicious head-on hit into the turn two wall, however was not injured.

The 4-Cylinder Hornets closed the show with Adam Gates taking the lead from his pole position start. As Gates attempted to pull away, Andrew Lokenvitz moved from his second row start into the second spot after one lap.

Lokenvitz reeled in the leader in the waning laps of the eight-lapper and shot to the low side of the leader the final time around the speedway. Lokenvitz' bid came up short as Gates pulled away to lead the event in its entirety to take the victory.

While the weather was the topic of discussion for many tonight, my hat is off to the Butler County Fair Board and Highway 3 Raceway Committee for not pulling the plug on the night's show. Yes, it was less than desirable weather-wise, however it cooled off more than anticipated. The crew in Allison is dedicated to making the racing program successful in Allison and their willingness to stick with the show tonight proved that.

If you haven't already been to Highway 3 Raceway this year, the track is always in tip-top shape and offers oustanding racing. Not to mention, it is the home of the famous giant tenderloin! Your next chance to visit the facility is next Wednesday, July 27, when the Corn Belt Clash Late Model Series makes its annual stop. USRA B Mods, Stock Cars and Hobby Stocks are also scheduled to compete. That Corn Belt race is the second in a three-day swing next week. On Tuesday the 26th, the tour travels to Fayette County Speedway in West Union and then, after the stop in Allison on Wednesday, heads south to CJ Speedway in Columbus Junction on Thursday, July 28.

After a night off tomorrow, I'll be back in Independence for some funnel cake, fresh squeezed lemonade and Demolition Derby action. Big, Mid-Size and Small Car divisions will take to the front straightaway at 7 p.m. An old friend will be returning on Thursday, as well. Former IMS grandstand announcer Marc Magers will be back behind the mic as we split duties calling the action on Thursday. It should be a great time so come on out and support the Buchanan County Fair!

Sunday, July 17, 2011

The Benton County Fair came to an end Sunday night so I made the trek south to Vinton for the weekly points races. Despite the hot temperatures, a decent crowd was on-hand for the fesitivites. I spoke with many out-of-towners in attendance who had seen on the news the destruction caused by last Monday's storm. Most were amazed at the damage and even more surprised that the community came together to ensure that this year's fair would go on as scheduled. The pride of Benton County and the Vinton community was certainly on display this weekend!

While the car count was down due to the warm weather and the continued clean-up efforts, those in attendance witnessed another night of great racing on the quarter-mile oval. After helping my mom work the ticket gate and then helping stock the pit area concession, taking notes from the night's action wasn't high on my list of priorities. Instead, flagman John Huff welcomed me to the flagstand where I was able to take in the last couple of heat races and the five features.

In what was arguably the best race of the night, Doug Laughridge beat points leader Scott Pippert by a nose to take an exciting victory in the IMCA Hobby Stock division. At the start of the 15-lapper, however, it was pole-sitter Justin Wacha taking the early lead. Wacha built a half-straightaway lead in just a couple of laps while Laughridge settled into the second spot.

From the flagstand, it appeared that Wacha was fighting to control his #45 off turn four, which allowed Laughridge to close the gap. A handful of laps into the event, Wacha lost control on the low side of turn four, allowing Laughridge to skate by for the lead.

On the restart following Wacha's spin, Laughridge took charge while Pippert made his way around the high side of the speedway and into contention. When he settled into second, however, Pippert struggled both high and low to make a bid for the lead. Pippert was able to pull alongisde the leader in turn four on the final lap, but came up a bumper short at the line as Laughridge earned the popular hometown win.

Ronn Lauritzen took an emotional win in the 20-lap IMCA Modified feature. Lauritzen, whose mother-in-law passed away last week, worked the low side of the speedway and into the lead only a couple of laps into the event. He then pulled away from the field to score the win by nearly a straightaway ahead of Patrick Flannagan.

Drew Fish tussled with Dave Schulze throughout the first half of the IMCA SportMod main. Schulze held the early lead as Fish worked from a mid-pack start and into contention just a few laps into the event. The leaders ran side-by-side, swapping positions for a handful of laps before Fish pulled away to score the dominant win by nearly a straightaway.

Scooter Dulin stayed glued to the bottom of the speedway and fought off the challenges of numerous pursuers to take the win in the IMCA Stock Car division. In the IMCA Sport Compacts, Bill Whalen Jr. took advantage of his front row starting spot and dominated that 12-lapper to drive to the win.

It was announced during the program that start times will change in Vinton for the remainder of the season. Due to the hot summer temperatures, the program will be pushed back by 30 minutes starting next week. Hot laps will now be at 6 p.m. with racing to follow.

The calendar only gets busier from here. Tuesday night is the Butler County Fair make-up race at Highway 3 Raceway in Allison. IMCA Late Models have been added to that program, which was rained out in June. Following that, the Buchanan County Fair kicks off in Independence on Thursday night with the annual Demolition Derby. The annual Dick Frye Memorial will be held in Independence on Saturday night during the 10th night of weekly points racing at the track this season. On Sunday, there's a double-dip at the Great Jones County Fair in Monticello. The afternoon schedule offers stock car racing on the half-mile to be followed up with the annual Demolition Derby that evening. Assuming my voice holds out, I'll be there to call all of those events. There's plenty going on this time of year, so please get out to support a track (or county fair!) near you. I'll see you at the races!

Entering Saturday night, Passick was the only IMCA Late Model driver at Independence Motor Speedway to earn top-10 finishes in all eight features this season (five of which were top-5s) and he sat 10 points out of the division lead. By night's end, he earned his first-ever trip to Late Model victory lane, the 97th driver to do so at the speedway in the last 45 years.

At the start of the 25-lapper, pole-sitter Luke Pestka paced the field with second row starter Bobby Hansen in second. Along with Russell Hesse, the top three broke free from the field while Passick quickly worked into the mix driving the low groove of the speedway from a fifth row starting spot.

By lap three, Passick made his way into fourth, sweeping beneath Darren Ackerman, Dean Wagner and Hesse while Greg Kastli also powered to the front to settle into third. Just four laps later, Passick reeled in the lead trio and made his way around Kastli and Hansen before running down Pestka out front.

Passick made his bid for the lead on the low side of Pestka on the ninth circuit before Kastli slipped beneath Pestka just prior to the midway point. Passick and Kastli quickly motored away from the field, however Kastli was able to keep Passick in his sights as the leaders navigated through lapped traffic. Unfazed by the backmarkers, Passick held on to the point to drive to the impressive victory. Kastli ran second ahead of Pestka. Points leader Tyler Bruening made a nice run through traffic to come home fourth ahead of Hesse. The Late Models ran a caution-free feature for the fourth time in five weeks, taking just over seven minutes to complete.

Steve Wiltse joined Passick as another first-time winner as he visited victory lane following the 15-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature. From his second row starting spot, Wiltse chased Jerry Wilson the first time around the 3/8-mile oval before taking command on lap two. Although a trio of cautions slowed the early stages of the event, Wiltse held serve as he fought off the challenges of Jamie Whitaker.

Despite two more stoppages midway through the race, Wiltse led the remainder of the event to take the milsestone win ahead of Whitaker and Rod Grother. Wiltse's son, Chris, came home fourth ahead of Justin Lichty. The elder Wiltse became the 86th different Hobby Stock winner in weekly competition at Independence since the division was added to the Saturday night program in 1989.

Jeff Kriz held the early lead in the 20-lap IMCA Modified feature. From his pole-position starting spot, Kriz set the pace while Ronn Lauritzen and Darin Duffy were making their way through traffic from respective fourth and fifth row starts. Running the low groove, Lauritzen entered a battle for the lead on lap seven while Duffy ran the high groove into contention.

Lauritzen slipped beneath the leader on the following circuit with Duffy close behind. As the leaders made their way down the back stretch following the completion of the ninth lap, however, contact from the lapped car of Richard Hinz sent Lauritzen's #10K into a spin up the track. He collected Duffy in the process to bring out the caution. Following a pit stop to repair a flat tire, Lauritzen joined Duffy at the tail for the restart.

When racing resumed, with the leader gone, Kriz inherited the pole position in the double-file restart with Vern Jackson to his outside. Jackson, who made his way to the front after starting in the fifth row, worked the outside groove to take command. Despite a pair of late cautions that bunched the field and heavy pressure from Jerry Luloff, Jackson sailed to his fourth win of the season. Luloff ran second ahead of Justin O'Brien, Adam Johnson and Kriz. The all-time wins leader in the division, Jackson celebrated his 39th Modified win at the speedway.

Tyler Droste earned his fifth IMCA SportMod win of the season and, in the process, returned to the top of the point standings for the first time since May 28. From a fifth row start, Droste quickly raced through the field and settled into second after just two laps. He made his way into the lead when Brennen Chipp pushed high in turn four on lap three.

Droste held the point while Josh Sherbon was working through traffic from a mid-pack start. Running the high groove, Sherbon settled into second on the seventh circuit, then tried both the low and high grooves in attempt to reel in the leader. His attempts fell short as Droste sailed to the win. Sherbon ran second ahead of Lucas Lundry, Jim Aschenbrenner and Jim Buhlman.

Dan Trimble won a wild IMCA Stock Car main that was uncharacteristically slowed by numerous cautions. Paul Fauser held the early lead while Sean Johnson worked into contention from a fourth row starting spot. Johnson motored past the leader after just four laps and appeared to be on the way to his fifth win of the season until a flat tire with five laps to go put an early end to those plans.

Tim Helle inherited the point, but was quickly challenged by Austin Evens. Evens stole the lead when Helle pushed high in turn four on the 11th lap. As Evens led, Trimble worked the high side of the speedway while Jarod Weepie worked the low groove. Trimble proved to be too fast up top as he took charge when the white flag waved to drive to his first win of the season. Evens ran second ahead of Weepie, Helle and Tony Schimmels. It was Trimble's first appearance at the speedway this season, however the veteran showed he hasn't lost his touch. No stranger to victory lane at Independence, it was the nine-time track champion's all-time leading 69th career Stock Car win at the speedway.

Despite the hot temperatures, it was another great night of racing at Independence. Following a trip to Vinton for the Benton County Fair races tomorrow, I'm scheduled to head to Highway 3 Raceway in Allison on Tuesday for a make-up from last month's rainout. In addition to Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks, B Mods and 4-Cylinders, I understand IMCA-sanctioned Late Models will be joining the card. Following that event, it's back to Independence as the Buchanan County Fair gets underway this week. Prior to next Saturday's Dick Frye Memorial, I'll be calling the action at the annual Demolition Derby this Thursday night at the fairgrounds in Independence. I'll wrap up next weekend with the annual trek to the Great Jones County Fair in Monticello next Sunday. An afternoon of stock car racing on the half-mile in Monticello will be followed up with the annual Demolition Derby that night. It's going to be a busy week of racing so make plans to get out and support your local track!

Monday, July 11, 2011

Jerry Luloff hadn't competed at Benton County Speedway all season until Sunday night. He made his first visit to the Vinton quarter-mile this year a memorable one as the Independence driver made a late pass on leader Scott Hogan to take the win in the 40-lap Hogan Memorial feature. The event, held annually as a tribute to Hogan's parents, Dick and Janet, welcomed 33 entries in the IMCA Modified division.

Qualifying for the 40-lapper came via four heat races and two B features. The top four finishers in each heat qualified for the feature, with the top three redrawing for their starting spots on the front stretch prior to the main event. Two transfers came from each B main and provisionals were given to the two non-qualifiers highest in current track points, along with two provisionals for past champions.

The annual special, which paid $1,250 to the winner, along with lap money and a midway bonus, was split into two parts. A mandatory caution following lap 20 allowed drivers five minutes to work on their cars and make adjustments on the front straightaway.

Following a pair of early cautions, outside front row starter Hogan took the lead in the 24-car field. Running the high side, Hogan pulled away from pole-sitter Dan Chapman and J.D. Auringer. The lead trio distanced themselves from the pack with Hogan holding a comfortable lead. His lead evaporated when he came upon the lapped car of Keith Pittman just six laps into the event.

With Hogan looking for a way around Pittman, Chapman and Auringer closed the gap. Hogan was pinched into a spin on the top side of turn one as he worked the high side of Pittman. This allowed Auringer to shoot beneath the leaders as they battled for the top spot. Hogan collected his #33D and powered back on the high side to retain the lead down the back stretch. Meanwhile, Auringer held the second position as the leaders navigated lapped traffic, relegating Chapman to third.

The top three remained unchanged as Jerry Luloff was battling Jeff Waterman for fourth. Luloff slipped beneath Waterman to take the position at the 15-lap mark. Hogan, Auringer, Chapman and Luloff continued in that order until the mandatory stop on lap 20. Mike Burbridge, who started in the seventh row, was making his way through the field running the low groove as he entered the top five by the time the yellow waved.

When action resumed, Hogan again held serve with Auringer, Chapman and Luloff in tow. The top three broke away from the field by nearly a straightaway margin when Auringer made a bid for the lead on lap 29. As the leaders entered turns one and two, Auringer, who was on Hogan's rear bumper, shot to the low side of the leader. He appeared to have made a successful pass for the lead when he spun his #00 to the high side of turn two. Hogan snuck past him, however Chapman had no place to go as he T-boned Auringer's parked car. Both cars were done for the night as the yellow flag waved again.

For the restart, Luloff found himself in second place and Brandon Banks, who masterfully worked the high groove through traffic, in third. Joe Docekal, who started in the 10th row, restarted in fourth and Burbridge ran fifth. When the green flag waved, Hogan again went to the top side as Luloff attempted to make a quick charge to the front on the low groove of turns one and two. Hogan proved to be too fast off the corner as he continued to show the way.

Docekal, meanwhile, was challenging Banks for third with five laps to go when he slid a little high exiting turn two. He made contact with the Banks machine and slipped off the top of the back stretch. Although Banks escaped without any problems, Docekal's miscue brought a premature end to his strong run.

Following the final caution on lap 36, Hogan remained out front with Luloff in second. On that restart, Luloff again tried his luck on the low side. He powered to the inside of Hogan and cleared the leader exiting turn two to take the lead. Hogan attempted to reel him in over the final three laps, but was unable to make a charge as Luloff drove to the exciting victory.

Banks made a late charge on Hogan for second, but came up just short at the line, settling for a great third place run. Waterman made a late charge to nip Burbridge at the line for fourth.

Ratajczak was the hard charger, gaining 11 positions during the event. Perhaps the driver who passed the most cars without it showing in the final results was Van Genderen. Following the lap 20 stoppage, Van Genderen suffered a flat tire before the race returned to green. He was able to make the tire change, but restarted at the tail. Running 10th at the 20-lap stoppage, he worked back up to that same position at the checkers.

While the Modifieds were not running for track points, the other four weekly divisions were competing for weekly track points, in addition to added Hogan Memorial money.

Brett Vanous held the early lead in the 12-lap IMCA Sport Compact main event, then lost the lead to Brad Chandler, only to inch ahead at the stripe to score the thrilling win.

Vanous worked into the lead on the first lap from his second row start while Chandler drove the low groove into second following a lap eight caution. On the restart, Chandler slipped past Vanous for the lead, however Vanous kept close by working the low side of the speedway. He snuck between Chandler and the tractor tire in turn four on the final lap to steal the victory.

John Schaefer held the point throughout the first half of the 15-lap IMCA Stock Car feature. While Schaefer led, Scooter Dulin, Justin Temeyer and Damon Murty battled for runner-up honors as that trio reeled in the leader. The lead quartet engaged in a pair of two-wide battles for position before condensing into a four-wide battle out front as they entered turn three on lap eight. Contact from Murty sent Temeyer into Schaefer, who was running the extreme top side of the speedway. The contact forced Schaefer off the track for the race's only caution.

On the restart, Temeyer drove the high side as Dulin worked the low groove. Temeyer motored past Dulin on the 10th circuit as he cruised to the win. Murty worked the high side around Dulin a short time later to take second. Temeyer also earned hard charger honors.

Greg Sweerin paced the field through a pair of early cautions in the 15-lap IMCA Hobby Stock main event. Sweerin's machine, however, started smoking as he took his #1S to the pits. This allowed Doug Laughridge to take the lead on lap five.

As Laughridge led, Justin Stander and Scott Pippert were closing the gap on the leader. The pursuers reeled in the leader with six laps to go as the trio entered a three-wide battle for the lead. Pippert drove the high side to the lead as he drove away to the victory. Stander held on for second while Brad Forbes made a late surge past Laughridge for third.

Aric Becker held the early lead in the IMCA SportMod feature while Curt Hilmer drove the low groove into contention from a third row starting spot. Hilmer closed the gap on Becker and swept beneath the leader to steal the top spot on lap five.

While Hilmer led, Racer Hulin was making huge strides running the top side of the speedway. Hulin swept around Hilmer following a mid-race caution to drive to the impressive victory. Danny Dvorak made a strong run through traffic to come home second after starting 12th. For his efforts, Dvorak was the hard charger of the event.

It was a great night as 113 race teams filled the pit area. While he always does a great job with his track prep, a shout goes out to Don Burkey for tonight's racing surface. I've seen a number of great tracks in Vinton over the years, but tonight was among the best. Dad taught you well, Don!

The World of Outlaws Late Model Series is next up on my schedule. I'll be back at Independence Motor Speedway on Tuesday for the series' first-ever visit to the Buchanan County Fairgrounds. I'll see you there!

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Saturday night at Independence Motor Speedway turned into "throwback" night as a trio of drivers returned to victory lane after lengthy absences.

Topping that list was IMCA Late Model veteran Curt Martin, who earned his 92nd career Late Model win in weekly competition at the speedway. Prior to Saturday, Martin's most recent win came on April 21, 2007. That win over four years ago wasn't even a points race as it fell one week prior to the opening weekend of IMCA Late Model points racing that season. You'd have to look back to July 29, 2006, when Martin won his last feature in weekly points racing at the speedway.

At the start of the 25-lapper, a trio of cautions slowed the action. Inside second row starter Babby Hansen paced the field before the race's first long green flag run following the third restart on lap two. By that time, Martin, who started inside the fourth row, made his way into third.

Martin quickly worked past Russell Hesse and Hansen to secure the lead on the third circuit, then proceeded to pull away from the field. As Martin led, Greg Kastli, who started outside of row four, made his own charge through the field. He worked past Hansen for second just three laps later, then attempted to cut into Martin's huge advantage.

Kastli's efforts were assisted when the leader encountered lapped traffic midway through the event, allowing Kastli to pull to within a few car-lengths of the leader. Unable to gain significant ground, Kastli was given one final shot when the final caution waved with just five laps to go. By that time, Tyler Bruening, who made an early pit stop, worked from the back of the pack and into third for the final restart.

When racing resumed, Bruening used the top side to settle into second. The defending track champion, current points leader and leader in feature wins over the past two seasons, Bruening then tried to reel in the leader. Martin proved he was still the man to beat at the Independence oval as he drove to the convincing win. Kastli ran third ahead of Jon Passick and Joel Brasch. The 92nd weekly Late Model win in his career at Independence, Martin now has exactly twice as many feature wins as the man who sits second on that list - Gary Crawford with 46 victories.

Although he is the defending track champion in the IMCA Modified division, Troy Cordes hadn't visited the winner's circle at Independence since July 25, 2009. He updated his résumé as Cordes drove to the convincing win in the 20-lap feature.

Pole-sitter Jeff Kriz held the point at the drop of the green while Cordes slowly marched through the field. By the time the first caution waved on lap four, Cordes advanced two positions, then went to work when racing resumed.

On the restart, Johnathan Thimmesch worked the low side of Kriz to steal the lead as Cordes advanced two more positions just prior to a lap six caution. Following that restart, Cordes quickly worked the high groove of the speedway and into second on the following lap. He made his way around Thimmesch one lap later to take command. He survived one more caution to drive to the dominating victory ahead of Thimmesch and Adam Johnson. Ed Thomas and Tony Olson completed the top five. Although it was his first win in nearly two years at Indee, it was the 27th Modified win in Cordes' career at the speedway. He sits third on the all-time list.

After a brief stint in the IMCA SportMod division the past two years, Chris Luloff returned to the IMCA Hobby Stock ranks partway into the 2011 season. In just his fifth night back in the division, Luloff made his way to victory lane in the 15-lap feature.

Dave Wheeler and Jeremiah Wilson swapped the lead during the first two laps while Luloff made his move to the front from a third row start. Luloff worked past the leaders on the third lap to take the top spot. As Luloff led, Quinton Miller was charging through the field from a sixth row starting spot. He was able to reel in the leader with only a handful of laps remaining.

Luloff and Miller swapped the lead over the final few laps, but Luloff was able to take the reins in the waning moments to score the victory in the caution-free event that took five minutes to complete. Following the leaders to the checkers were Jamie Whitaker, points leader Vince Buchholz and Steve Wiltse. His first Hobby Stock win at Independence since August 23, 2008, it was the 16th career win in the division for Luloff. The victory moved him into a tie for second on the all-time list with Brian Irvine. Chris Wessner holds the mark in the division with 20 career wins.

Sean Johnson made his fourth trip to victory lane this season in the 15-lap IMCA Stock Car feature. After Austin Evens and Paul Fauser shared time at the front of the pack over the first two laps, Johnson swept past the leaders on the third circuit to take control. He held the point for the remainder of the event to take the victory ahead of Evens and Roger Ciesielski. John Emerson and Dave Stricker completed the top five.

It was Johnson's 12th career Stock Car win at the speedway. While he remains eighth on the all-time list, Johnson pulled to within two wins of Norman Chesmore for seventh in that category. Johnson also became the first driver since Brian Irvine (2006 and 2007) to record back-to-back seasons with at least four wins.

Josh Sherbon took the lead on the fourth lap of the IMCA SportMod 15-lapper to drive to his second win of the season. Slowed only once for caution, Sherbon set sail to take the impressive win ahead of points leader Ray Lundry. Tyler Droste, who won back-to-back features entering the night, had his streak snapped with a third place finish. Jim Buhlman recorded his sixth straight top-five finish as he came home fourth. Kim Siems completed the top five. It was Sherbon's career-leading 12th win in the division at Indee.

My next stop will be at Benton County Speedway in Vinton on Sunday for the annual Hogan Memorial. Always a great event, which honors the memory of Dick and Janet Hogan, the Modified winner at Sunday's show has the opportunity to take home $3,500.

Following a trip to Vinton on Sunday, it's back to Independence for the first-ever appearance of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series on Tuesday night. Accompanying the Late Models will be a $1,000-to-win event for the IMCA Modifieds. It promises to be a great event as the best Late Model drivers in the country will converge on the Buchanan County Fairgrounds. I hope to see you there!

Monday, July 4, 2011

Earning your first career feature win is always special, but doing it in front of a packed house on a holiday weekend makes it a little bit better; just ask IMCA SportMod driver Justin Zimmerman, who earned his first-ever feature win on Sunday night at Benton County Speedway.

Zimmerman, who lives in Cedar Rapids, but normally makes the long tow to Algona Raceway on Sunday nights due to obligations at the north central Iowa facility, recently decided to "try his luck" on the 1/4-mile Vinton oval. That "luck" paid off as he led all 15 times around the smooth, fast oval on Sunday night.

A trio of cautions slowed the first couple laps of the SportMod main and Zimmerman, who started on the pole in his second night ever at the speedway, maintained his composure on each restart to hold the point. When racing resumed for the final time following a lap three stoppage, Zimmerman kept his #11Z glued to the bottom of the track while Racer Hulin worked the low side of Dave McCalla for second.

The low groove was the preferred line for most of the field as the slick, fast oval was a "driver's track" on this night. The leaders remained committed to the bottom side, each looking to take advantage of a driver error in front of him to gain position.

With Hulin chasing Zimmerman, Kyle Brown made a strong run through the field from his fifth row starting spot before settling into third after just four laps. Likewise, Ken Kositzky, who started behind Brown, worked through the field and into fourth.

The top four ran nose-to-tail throughout much of the event, pulling away from the field as Danny Dvorak broke free from traffic late in the race to move into fifth after starting 12th. With laps winding down, Dvorak joined the group of leaders, nearly a straightaway ahead of the field.

Zimmerman ran the perfect line to lead the event in its entirety to take the milestone win in just his second year in the division. Brown made a late push beneath Hulin to take second at the line.

Patrick Flannagan earned his first win of the season in dramatic fashion in the 20-lap IMCA Modified feature. A late pass of Troy Cordes left the fans on their feet as the division had one final week to prepare for next week's Hogan Memorial at the speedway.

Buck Swanson took the early lead from his pole position starting spot. Swanson ran the low groove while Mike Burbridge and Flannagan pursued him on the low-line. Meanwhile, Troy Cordes ventured to the middle-to-high side of the speedway and quickly made his way to the front. Cordes nipped Flannagan for third on lap three, then swept around the outside of both Burbridge and Swanson to secure the lead just prior to the race's first caution on lap four.

When racing resumed, Cordes ran the middle groove of the track and quickly extended his advantage over the field. The top four remained unchanged until Swanson spun to bring out the second caution three laps later.

On the restart, Cordes again dominated while Flannagan went to work on the low side of Burbridge. He squeezed beneath the 11B at the midway point of the event and attempted to cut into the big lead Cordes built. Those efforts were assisted when the third and final caution waved for Swanson, whose engine went south with eight laps to go.

Flannagan remained glued to Cordes' rear bumper for the final restart as those two pulled away from the field. Working the low groove, Flannagan pulled even with Cordes with only two laps remaining. Running side-by-side, Flannagan proved the low groove to be just a tad faster as he inched ahead on the final lap. He made his way past Cordes in the final corner to come away with the thrilling win. Burbridge ran third, nearly a straightaway behind the leaders.

Justin Wacha held the early lead in the IMCA Hobby Stock headliner. Wacha ran the high groove out front until Jacob Keiser was able to work the low side into the lead on lap two. As Keiser made his way to the front, fellow third row starter Brad Forbes followed him through traffic and settled into second on lap three.

Following the event's only cautions on lap three, Keiser again took charge. Forbes remained glued to his bumper as Rod Grother and Scott Pippert joined the fray out front a short time later. With five laps to go, Pippert made his way around Grother for third, just a couple of laps before the leaders entered lapped traffic.

Forbes remained close to Keiser as the leaders dodged lapped cars, with Keiser showing the way until the leaders worked their way through turns one and two on the final lap. In the middle of the corner, contact from Forbes sent Keiser spinning to the infield. Forbes took over the lead and Keiser scrambled to hold his position. Coming off turn four, Forbes raced to the win with Scott Pippert behind him. Keiser salvaged a third place finish ahead of Grother.

Justin Temeyer made his third straight trip to victory lane in the IMCA Stock Car division. From his fifth row starting spot, Temeyer worked the low groove into contention as the field ran two, three and four-wide over the first few laps before things got sorted out.

A quick mover to the front, Temeyer started 10th, was in seventh after one lap, in sixth on lap two, third on lap three and held the lead just prior to the race's only caution on lap four. When racing resumed, Temeyer checked out on the field, building nearly a straightaway advantage by the halfway point of the 15-lapper. He continued to extend that lead, winning by over a straightaway ahead of Bob Ahrendesen, who made a nifty pass for second with only a handful of laps to go.

Points leader Norman Chesmore was running fourth on the white flag lap, however he spun in turns one and two on that final lap, relegating him to a 10th place finish. Despite missing a night earlier in the year, by virtue of his hot streak, Temeyer sits just six points behind Chesmore at the top of the standings. Likewise, Ahrendsen's strong second place run leaves him now just two points out of the lead as six points separate the top three in the division.

A horrifying rollover at the start of the IMCA Sport Compact main event briefly delayed the program. As the field was running three-wide at the line to complete lap one, Travis Ross was tagged when he was running the extreme low groove. This sent him sideways in front of the field. His car dug in and entered a barrel roll that took him into the front stretch catch fence before landing on his roof on the straightaway. He walked away uninjured.

When racing resumed, it was the Chandler Express making noise as Nathan Chandler took the lead and Merv and Brad Chandler worked through the field from mid-pack starts. Brett Vanous tried to break up the Chandler parade as he snuck into second after just four laps, but Merv and Brad were able to make their way around him following a lap six caution.

Nathan held the point throughout the 12-lap event with Merv and Brad in tow. Those three remained unchanged over the final half of the event, leaving the Chandlers with a 1-2-3 finish on the night.

Despite the Sport Compact delay, a kids' candy dash and an unexpected 30 minute intermission when the ambulance had to leave for a call, the program was completed before the 9 o'clock hour. Next on my schedule is a trip to 34 Raceway tonight for the UMP Summernationals Hell Tour. As I write this, I'm sitting about two miles from the track in Middletown, getting ready to head to the speedway to help prepare for tonight's show. I'm leaving my pen and notebook home tonight, however, as I plan to enjoy the holiday, catch up with some long-time friends and just enjoy the show. Wherever your travels take you this July 4th, please have a safe and enjoyable holiday! I'll see you at the races!

Sunday, July 3, 2011

A new face graced victory lane at Independence Motor Speedway on Saturday night as Kirk Fauser earned his first career win at the speedway. Fauser became the 40th different driver to make his way to the winner's circle in the 19th season of the Stock Car division at Independence.

Following a caution after the completion of the first lap of the 15-lap IMCA Stock Car main event, Fauser, who was running fourth at the time, motored past Paul Fauser, Tim Helle and Austin Evens to take the lead on lap two. Pursued by Roger Ciesielski, Fauser maintained a couple car-length advantage while Tom Schmitt worked the low side of Ciesielski for second.

While Ciesielski successfully held Schmitt at bay, Fauser was able to hold onto his advantage out front. He led the remainder of the event to earn the milestone win. Ciesielski ran second at the line ahead of Jarod Weepie, Sean Johnson and Phil Holtz. Questionable driving both during and following the event resulted in the disqualifications of Schmitt and points leader Dave Stricker. Relegated to a finish toward the back, Stricker lost the points lead to Weepie.

Chris Wiltse took advantage of a late caution to take his second win of the season in the IMCA Hobby Stock division. Jeremy Floyd held the point for the first two circuits before Jamie Whitaker slipped beneath him to snag the lead on lap three.

While Whitaker led, Wiltse was running the low groove into contention after starting in row four. He entered the top four just prior to a lap five caution. As Wiltse made his march to the front, Justin Lichty was running the high groove from a fifth row start, settling into fifth.

Just two laps after the restart, Wiltse worked into second, then Lichty followed him into third just prior to the race's second stoppage on lap 10. Following that restart, Whitaker again took charge while Wiltse and Lichty battled behind him. When it appeared that Whitaker was headed for his second straight Independence Day weekend victory at the speedway, the caution flag waved one final time with just two laps to go.

On the final restart, Wiltse shot to the inside of Whitaker and inched ahead as the leaders entered turn one. He pulled away from the field to take the exciting win. Whitaker held off Lichty for second and points leader Vince Buchholz finished fourth ahead of Rod Grother. The third win of his career, Wiltse moved into a tie for 34th on the all-time list at the speedway.

Tyler Droste earned a track-leading fourth win of the season in exciting fashion in the IMCA SportMod 15-lapper. Pole-sitter Kim Siems took the lead at the drop of the green until the race was slowed for caution following lap one. By that time, fourth row starter Danny Dvorak made quick work of the field and found himself in fourth place for the ensuing restart.

When racing resumed, Dvorak sped past Matt McCahen and Droste to settle into second on lap two. He chased Siems until he was able to make his bid for the lead on the low side following a lap six caution. Dvorak then held the point until he exited turn four on the final lap. He spun in the low side of the corner, which allowed Droste to sneak by for the win. Siems ran second ahead of Jim Buhlman, points leader Ray Lundry and Josh Sherbon. The fifth win of his career, Droste now sits tied for third on the all-time list with Austin Kaplan.

UNEXPECTED DESTINATION - Tyler Droste was expecting a second place run as the laps disappeared in the IMCA SportMod feature. A late spin by the leader, however, changed those fortunes as Droste drove to his fourth win of the season.

Justin O'Brien led all 20 laps of the IMCA Modified feature to score his first win of the season. From his second row start, O'Brien rocketed beneath front row starters Jeff Kriz and Jeff Streeter and quickly pulled away from the field. He encountered lapped traffic just prior to the midway point of the race as the only caution of the event waved on lap nine.

By that time, Darin Duffy, who started outside of the fifth row, was running the high side of the speedway into contention. He restarted in fourth and made his way into the runner-up position on lap 13. Although he was able to cut into O'Brien's sizable lead, O'Brien held on to score the wire-to-wire win. King, Ronn Lauritzen and points leader Jerry Luloff completed the top five. The fourth win of his career at Independence, O'Brien moved into a tie for 31st on the all-time list.

JUST WIN JUSTIN - Justin O'Brien led all 20 laps of the IMCA Modified feature to score his first win of 2011.

The IMCA Late Model division continues to impress as that division's 25-lap feature ran caution-free for the third consecutive week. Inside second row starter Luke Merfeld made his way past Joel Brasch and Drew Johnson to take over the top spot on lap one. He quickly distanced himself from the field while Travis Smock gave chase.

Merfeld encountered lapped traffic at the 11-lap mark, allowing Smock to close the gap. Smock momentarily pulled to within a car-length of the leader, however Merfeld was smooth through the backmarkers and escaped with the win, his second of the season. Smock ran second ahead of Brasch, Greg Kastli and Curt Martin.

WIRE-TO-WIRE WINNER - Luke Merfeld led the IMCA Late Model feature from green to checkers to take his second win of the season in the caution-free event.

Mark Woodley of KWWL in Waterloo was also on-hand for tonight's program. The TV station plans to profile the city of Independence as part of its Iowa Proud series. Mark was all over the fairgrounds tonight and shot a lot of footage and conducted interviews with Late Model driver Drew Johnson and SportMod driver Tyler Droste. You can check out the story on the speedway when it airs next Sunday, July 10.

That's all for tonight. I'm headed back to Benton County Speedway in Vinton tomorrow, followed up by a trip to Burlington on Monday for the UMP Summernationals stop at 34 Raceway. I hope to see you there!